tvc . dsj . org | February 7 , 2017 community 5
A Deliberate End
By Father Gerald D . Coleman , S . S .
The New York Times recently reported that “ more states are adopting aid-in-dying laws ” as a way of giving people “ a legal way out ” when life becomes unbearable , ( Jan 17 , 2017 ).
Close to 20 percent of Americans now live in jurisdictions where adults can legally end their lives if they are terminally ill and meet eligibility requirements . Since October 2015 , California ’ s End-of-Life-Option makes it legal to seek and self-administer drugs to hasten one ’ s death .
A substantial majority of Americans favor the right of a physician to facilitate a person ’ s request for death when a disease cannot be cured or is causing overwhelming pain and dysfunction .
State “ opt-out ” provisions allow any individual , for example , a doctor or pharmacist , or institution to decline to participate in aid-in-dying . In addition , California hospitals and hospices can forbid their affiliated physicians to write the necessary prescriptions for lethal drugs , even if they are acting privately .
Catholic health care systems have opted out due to the Church ’ s moral tradition on the sanctity of all human life as well as the availability of more viable alternatives . The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 disavows physician-assisted suicide , as does Vitas , the nation ’ s largest hospice chain .
In California , some private insurers pay for the necessary doctors ’ visits and drugs . However , Congress has long prohibited the use of federal dollars for aid-in-dying , and consequently Medicare and the Department of Veterans Affairs will not cover these expenses . California has agreed , however , to cover the costs for Medicaid recipients .
The most commonly used drug for physicianassisted suicide is Seconal , which costs anywhere from $ 3,000 to $ 4,000 . Valeant Pharmaceuticals , the drug ’ s manufacturer , has denied exploiting the new laws doubling its price since 2015 , when the drug was generally sold for $ 200 . As a result , some physicians are turning toward alternative medications using combinations of opioids and sedatives .
After nearly 20 years in Oregon and 8 years in Washington where physician-assisted suicide is legal , less than 1 percent of recorded deaths involve physician-assisted suicide . And , for those who do request physician assistance , about one-third do not actually follow-through and use the prescription to end their own lives .
Consequently , even when the legal option is present , most Americans do not choose to die in this way . Perhaps more people are coming to see that medicalized suicide is a false compassion as it not only eliminates suffering but also the person .
Effective palliative care helps suffering persons to devote their attention to the unfinished business of their lives and to arrive at a sense of peace with God . Learning how to face this last stage of life is one of the most important things each of us will ever do . Aid-indying short-circuits this stage and denies that every person sustains human dignity no matter how frail .
For further discussion about these topics , register for “ Living Well , Leaving Well ” hosted by Catholic Charites at Saint Lucy Parish on February 23 . Presenters : Father Gerald Coleman and Ryan Holmes , Assistant Director of Health Care Ethics at Santa Clara University . To register , go to : www . CatholicCharitiesSCC . org / decisions .
Beatriz “ Betty ” Molina has been coming to Catholic Charities ’ Eastside Neighborhood Center ( ENC ) for her daily lunch for more than 10 years . As one of the “ regulars ,” she has her favorite table with friends – seniors on fixed incomes who rely on the hot , nutritious meals as their main , and sometimes only , meal of the day .
Betty is a disabled senior who lives in a Section 8 community nearby . Every weekday morning , she gets dressed up for lunch and walks over to the Center . A proud mother of six and grandmother of eight , it ’ s hard to believe that this
Eastside Neighborhood Center is Like Family
dainty lady once fought in WWII as one of the few women in the Philippine resistance guerilla army . She even has the photos to prove it .
Like many of the Seniors at ENC , Betty is an independent person who likes to stay active and engaged . At 89 years old , she is sharp as a tack . She loves spending time with her friends at the Center , and before arthritis severely disabled her , she even participated in the Filipino dancing every Thursday after lunch . These days , she enjoys playing Bingo a few times a week .
When Betty first came to the U . S ., she volunteered at Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County as a Teacher ’ s Aid in one of the CORAL after-school programs . Betty was as energetic as the kids she worked with , even though she was in her 70 ’ s . Working with students was natural for her because she had already retired after a career as a school principal in the Philippines .
“ I consider everyone at ENC as family , from the seniors to the staff and volunteers ,” said Betty . “ We eat together , we laugh together , and are there for each other . I feel blessed to live next to a Center that takes care of its community .
Thank you , Catholic Charities , for being part of my family !”
Last year , more than 68,500 warm and nourishing meals were served to low-income seniors by Catholic Charities staff and volunteers at two locations – Eastside Neighborhood Center and John XXIII Multiservice Center in downtown San Jose . Low-income seniors can go to either location for hot lunches , socialization , and activities .
To learn more about the programs , please contact Milton Cardena , Program Director , Older Adult Services at mcardena @ catholiccharitiesscc . org .
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County invites you to a FREE presentation :
LIVING WELL , LEAVING WELL
Ryan Holmes , Ph . D . Fr . Gerald Coleman , P . S . S . A decision-making framework for making life ’ s most difficult decisions .
What is the Catholic tradition on care at the end of life ? A lunch time discussion of caring for aging parents .
Thursday , February 23
10 a . m . – 12 Noon Presentation • 12:30 – 1:30 p . m . Discussion St . Lucy Parish , Campbell
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED Visit : www . CatholicCharitiesSCC . org / Decisions or call : Alison Poetsch 408-325-5288